A REVIEW OF APODEMIA-HEPBURNI LYCAENIDAE RIODININAE WITH A DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SUBSPECIES

7 Pages·1991·2.6 MB·English

by  G T Austin

JournaloftheLepidopterists'Society
45(2), 1991, 135-141
A REVIEW OF APODEMIA HEPBURN
I
(LYCAENIDAE: RIODININAE) WITH A DESCRIPTION
OF A NEW SUBSPECIES
George T. Austin
Nevada State Museum and Historical Society,
700 Twin Lakes Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89107
ABSTRACT. Apodemia hepburni Godman and Salvin (Lycaenidae: Riodininae) is
reviewed. Anewsubspecies, Apodemia hepburniremota Austin, isdescribedfromsouth-
ern Baja California, Mexico, based on 112 specimens. Both taxa of the species exhibit
biphenism.
Additionalkeywords: BajaCaliforniaSur, Sonora, Mexico,A. palmerii,A. murphyi.
Apodemia hepburni is a small metalmark (Lycaenidae: Riodininae)
described from Chihuahua, Mexico (Godman & Salvin 1886). In con-
junction with a study of the phenotypically similar Apodemia palmerii
(W. H. Edwards) (Austin 1987), I had the opportunity to examine series
of A. hepburni in several major museums in the United States and those
in a number of private collections. The degree of seasonal and geo-
graphical variation I noted prompted this review.
Throughout, butterfly size (mean and range in mm) is the length of
the forewing from base to apex. Specimens indicated by "M" and "F"
are male and female, respectively. Capitalized color names are after
Smithe (1975, 1981).
Apodemia hepburni hepburni Godman and Salvin
(Figs. 1-4)
Apodemia hepburni GodmanandSalvin 1886:468 (typelocality: PinosAltos, Chihuahua,
Mexico); holotype male at The Natural History Museum, London (Miller & Brown
1981).
Thespecieswasfigured andverybrieflydescribedfrom asingle malebyGodmanand
Salvin (1886). I examined photographs of the type, a somewhat worn male without
antennae and with a phenotype of the first brood. This specimen has six labels: a white
hand-lettered label "HOLOTYPE/Apodemia/hepburni/Godman & Salvin/det. P. Ack-
ery, 1989"; printed white labels with "B.C.A.Lep.Rhop./Apodemia/hepburni,/G. & S./
Godman-Salvin/Coll. 1914.-5.", "Pinos Altos,/Chihuahua,/Mexico/Buchan-Hepburn.",
"Type./Sp. figured.", andasmalllabelwithamalesymbol; andaround whitelabelwith
a red border printed with "Type/H.T".
Male. July-October, size = 10.9 (10.4-11.1, N = 13). Dorsum blackish-brown (Sepia,
color 119); marginal row ofblackdotsoftenwith faintwhitepointsproximally especially
towards forewing apex; forewing with four quadrate subapical white spots, continued
submarginally as irregular row of small and poorly defined white spots; large quadrate
whitebaratendofdiscalcellwithsmaller, lessdistinctbarbelowitincellCuA,;postbasal
white bar in discal cell and similar onebelow it in cell CuA2; subapical, submarginal and
cell-end white marks indistinctly outlined distally and proximally with black; similarly,
postbasalbaroutlined distally andbarbelow cell-end bar outlined proximally. Hindwing
with markings as forewing except entire submarginal row of approximately equal-sized
136 Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Figs. 1-8. Apodemia hepburni subspecies (dorsal surface on left, ventral surface on
righWt of each figure). 1-4, A. h. hepburni (all MEXICO: Sonora)W—(1) male, Rt. 16, 8.5
mi RioYaqui, 26 Aug. 1984, leg. D. Mullins, (2) female, 36mi Moctezuma, 3 Aug.
1984, leg. D. Mullins, (3) male, Hwy. 16, 17 mi E Tecoripa, 15 March 1984, leg. J. P.
Broc—k, (4) female, same data as fig. 3; 5-8, A. h. remota (all MEXICO: Baja California
Sur) (5) holotype, data in text, (6) allotype, data in text, (7) male, Mulege, Vz mi E, 23
March 1974, leg. G. S. Forbes, (8) female, 3 mi S Loreto, leg. Faulkner, Brown.
spots;slightreddish-brownareaatmiddleofcostalmargin,sometimesextendingmedially
into discal cell; fringes of both wings white, lightly checked with black at vein tips.
Ventral surface dull reddish-brown; forewing near Pratt's Rufous proximally grading
to Robin Rufous distally; hindwing Pratt's Rufous throughout; hindwing and base of
forewing overscaled with white (often heavily); white marks as on dorsum but larger,
especially submarginally; submarginal row of hindwing forming continuous, irregular
Volume 45, Number 2 137
band; white spots outlined with black as on dorsum but more prominent against paler
ground color; marginal black dots with indistinct white smudges proximally; hindwing
anal margin whitish.
March, size = 11.7 (10.9-12.4, N = 7). Dorsum paler (near Hair Brown), forewing
subapical and cell-end white marks prominent; posterior spots faint to nearly obsolete,
position indicated by their black outlines; hindwing white marks similarly faint, most
persistentinsubmarginalseries;marginalblackspotssmall,nearlydisappearinganteriorly
on forewing; hindwing flush of reddish-brown tending more prominent. Ventral surface
paler (nearSalmonColor, color 106) proximally, grayerdistally;blackmarkingsobsolete;
white marks less contrasting.
Female. August-October, size = 11.1 (10.3-11.8, N = 14). Wings more rounded than
male; groundcolor asmale; white marksasmale; forewing with indistinct Pratt's Rufous
margin; marginalblackspotswith proximal indistinct points ofwhite apically; hindwing
with anterior Va and margin Pratt's Rufous.
Ventralsurfacesimilartomalebutslightlypaler; ground colornearCinnamon Rufous
throughout, less overscaled with white except between marginal black dots and submar-
ginal white spots giving appearance of whitish band.
March, size = 12.2 (11.9-12.4, N = 2). As male, anterior Vz of hindwing with reddish-
brown flush, forewing with more restricted marginal reddish-brown than later in year.
Distribution andphenology. The distribution of this taxon apparently is incompletely
known. Nearly all records that I know of are from Sonora, Mexico (Fig. 9) where it may
be locally common. It was described from western Chihuahua, Mexico; there are old
records from southern Arizona (various museums), additional, more recent, Arizona re-
cords from northeast of Douglas, Cochise County (fide R. Bailowitz) and at Sycamore
Canyon, Santa Cruz County (Langston 1991), and it was taken in the Chisos Mountains,
Brewster County, Texas (Carnegie Museum). The flight period in Sonora is from late
FebruarytolateMarchandlateJulytolateOctoberreflectingatleasttwobroods. Arizona
records are for May and June (one in August) and the Texas record is for July.
Discussion. This taxon isat leastbivoltine in spring and again in autumn andstrongly
biphenic. The springbrood is pale with reduced markings; the fall phenotype is smaller,
darker and the ventral surface is relatively heavily overscaled with white and appears
mottled.
Apodemia hepburni remota, new subspecies
(Figs. 5-8)
Male. August-November, size = 11.6 (10.2-12.6, N = 25). Dorsum darkbrown (Sepia,
color219);submarginalrowofblackspotsonbothwingsasonA. h. hepburnibutwithout
associatedwhitepoints;whitemarksandblackoutlinesasonA./i. hepburnibutnarrower;
hindwing usually with medial flush of reddish-brown anteriorly, extending into discal
cell.
Ventralsurfacenearlyuniform Pratt'sRufouswithlittlewhiteoverscaling; whitespots
asondorsum,theirblackoutlinesthin;blackmarginaldotssmall,oftenobsoleteanteriorly
on forewing, and with associated white very vague or absent.
February-April, size=12.3(11.9-13.4, N=7). Dorsalgroundcolorpaler(HairBrown),
posteriorwhitemarksonforewingandbasalmarksonhindwingfainttoobsolete;marginal
black spots very small (maybe absent on forewing); reddish-brown on hindwing present
or absent.
Ventralgroundcolorpale(nearOrange-Rufous); verylittlewhitishoverscalingbasally,
white marks very thin withblack outlines faint toobsolete; marginal black spots reduced
to points or entirely absent.
Female. August-November, size = 12.4 (11.0-14.1, N = 30). Wings more rounded
than male; hindwing with relatively heavy flush of reddish-brown anteriorly; margins
with smudges of similar color in each cell; white markings thin as on male.
Ventral surface paler than male (near Orange-Rufous); markings as on male.
April, size = 12.6 (12.3-12.9, N = 2). Dorsum similar to later in year but tending
138 Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
towardsmorereddish-brown onhindwing. Ventral surfacevery pale (near Flesh Ocher),
markings as on maleM.—
Types. Holotype MEXICO: BajaCaliforniaSur—;ArroyoSanBartolo, 28Aug. 1982,
leg. [J. W.] Brown and [D. K.] Faulkner. Allotype F same data as holotype. Paratypes
(60M, 50F, all MEXICO: Baja California Sur)—same data as holotype (1M, 10F); same
location as holotype, 28 Nov. 1980, leg. J. Brown (IF); San Bartolo, 3 Oct. 1981, leg. F.
Andrews & D. Faulkner (2F); 30 Nov.-l Dec. 1979, leg. Brown & Faulkner (2M, 3F);
A. San Bartolo, 2 Nov. 1961, leg. Cary-Carnegie Expedition [=CCE] (IF); 3 Nov. 1961,
leg. CCE (3M, 2F); 12 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (IF); San Bartolo microwave tower, 28 Nov.
219m80i,SlWeg.CJa.dBuarnoow,n2(61MA)u;g.31m9i82S,EleSga.nFaBuarltkonleor, &15BMraorwcnh(719M7,4,IFl)e;g.7Gk.mS.SFCoardbueasno(,1M2);6
Aug. 1982, leg. Faulkner and Brown (1M, IF); Caduano, 25 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (1M);
Ro. Palmarito 4 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (2F); 5 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (1M), 30 Nov. 1961,
leg. CCE(IF);31 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE(1M, IF);RanchoSanBernardodeSierraLaguna,
14 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (1M, IF); 17 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (1M); Bahia de Palmas, 20
Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (1M, 2F); 33 mi N Todos Santos, 4 Oct. 1981, leg. D. Faulkner &
F. Andrews (1M); 28 km N Todos Santos, 29 Nov. 1980, leg. Brown & Brown (IF); 31
km N Todos Santos, 29 Nov. 1980, leg. J. Brown (IWF); 4 mi E La Barrera (nr. Todos
Santos), 21 March 1974, leg. R. Holland (W1M); 8 mi La Paz, 30 Oct. 1946, leg. E. Y.
Dawson (1M); Ramel de Naranjas, 6 mi Hwy. 1 nr. Santa Anita, 11 Oct. 1983, leg.
Andrews & Faulkner (2M); San Antonio microwave, 13 Oct. 1983, leg. D. Faulkner &
F. Andrews (3F); Boca de la Sierra, 13 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (4M); 17 Nov. 1961, leg.
CCE (4M, IF); 22 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (1M, IF); 24 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (2M, 2F); 28
Nov. 1961,leg.CCE(3M,2F);PuertoChileno,22Nov. 1961,leg.CCE(2M,IF);Guaycura
Hotel, La Paz, 29 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE (1M); 15 mi S La Paz, 1 Nov. 1946, leg. E. Y.
Dawson (16M, 2F); 2 mi S Buena Vista, 30 Nov. 1979, leg. Brown & Faulkner (IF); 5
kmSRBuenavista, 25Oct. 1961, leg. CCE (2F);Santiago, 6Nov. 1946, leg. E. Y. Dawson
(2F); 3 mi S Santiago, 25 Oct., leg. ? (IF); San Jose del Cabo, 23 Nov. 1961, leg. CCE
(IF).
Deposition of types. The holotype, allotype, and 58 paratypes are deposited at the
NaturalHistoryMuseum,SanDiego,California;49paratypesareattheCarnegieMuseum
of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; one paratype is in the private collection of
G. S. Forbes, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and two paratypes are retained by the author.
Type locality. MEXICO: Baja California Sur; Arroyo San Bartolo. San Bartolo is on
Mexico Highway 1 between La Paz and San Jose del Cabo.
Distribution and phenology. Apodemia h. remota occurs only in Baja California Sur
from Mulege south to the southern tip (Fig. 9). Specimens have been taken from mid
February to mid April and from late August to early December, about 70% (of 117
examined) in November.
Etymology. Thissubspeciesisnamedafteritsisolateddistribution atthetipoftheBaja
California peninsula.
Diagnosis and discussion. Apodemia h. remota is seasonally biphenic in size, color,
and pattern; thisissimilarinformbutsomewhatlesspronounced thanfornominotypical
A. hepburni. Apodemia h. rmemmota differs in several respects frommmA. h. hepburni. It is a
larger insect (averaging 0.5 larger in the first brood and 1 in the second), both
theventralanddorsalgroundcolorsarepaler, thewhitemarkingsandtheirblackoutlines
are thinner (especially on the ventral surface where they are about twice asbroad on A.
h. hepburni), the black marginal spots are smaller, and there is considerably less whitish
overscaling on the ventral surface (see Figs. 1-8). Overall, the ventral surface of A. h.
remota appears uniformly colored; that of A. h. hepburni has a mottled appearance,
especially on late season specimens. Apodemia h. remota tends to have more red-brown
medially on the dorsal hindwing (this sometimes extends distally to the outer margin on
females) and along the margins on both wings than A. h. hepburni and rarely has white
associated with the black marginal spots.
Itiscuriousthatmostreferencesdonotmention theoccurrenceofA. hepburniinBaja
California Sur. Hoffmann (1976) acknowledged theoccurrenceof thespeciesonlyonthe
mainland. He, Rindge (1948), andHolland (1972) reportedonlyA.palmerii(=Apodemia
Volume 45, Number 2 139
ARIZONA
>v"s*,>^oo X T"
\TEXAS
SONORA
o
o
CHIHUAHUA
CD
°oco
BAJA
CALIFORNIA
SUR
Fig. 9. Known distribution of Apodemia hepburni. Open circles = A. h. hepburni,
closed circles = A. h. remota, "x" = specimens not seen.
murphyi Austin) of this group in Baja California. Of other general references, Howe
(1975) reported its occurrence in Baja California but Scott (1986) did not.
Discussion
Both taxa of A. hepburni are relatively rare in collections although
the species appears to be common locally. The dates of collection seem
to reflect two well defined and disjunct flight periods in both Sonora
and Baja California Sur, Mexico. It is unknown how much of the known
phenology reflects collector phenology. In Baja California, however,
there are records for A. murphyi from every month, suggesting that
the absence of A. hepburni records in some months is real. The few
records for Arizona and Texas bridge the phenological gap in Mexico,
perhaps reflecting a single brood at the northern extreme of the dis-
tribution. I have found no information on the early stages or larval food
plant of A. hepburni.
Seasonal variation of both A. hepburni taxa is parallel. Individuals
from early in the year (spring) are large and pale with small white
markings;thosefrom laterintheyear (latesummer-fall) areofasmaller,
140 Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Table 1. Characteristics of species of the Apodemia palmerii complex.
Character A.palmerii A.murphyi A.hepburni
FW
shape not produced produced produced
FW
apex rounded subfalcate subfalcate
Dorsal margin prominent series of prominent series of no or inconspicuous
white spots white spots white spots
Dorsal macula- prominent prominent vague, esp. posteri-
tion orly on forewing
VHW postmedi- medium width very broad narrow to medium
an band width
Distribution SW US to central southern Baja Cali- southern Baja Cali-
Mexico fornia, Mexico fornia and west-
ern Mexico
darker phenotype with more extensive white spots. Seasonal biphenism
wasnoted in sizeand color ofA. p. palmeriiand in colorforA. murphyi
although none was detected for two other A. palmerii taxa (Austin
1987).
Apodemia hepburni occurs sympatrically and synchronically with
A. palmerii or A. murphyi; the two have been taken together at several
locations in Sonora and Baja California. The known distribution and
flight period of A. palmerii and A. hepburni are practically identical
in Sonora. In Baja California, A. hepburni has a shorter flight period
and does not extend as far north as A. murphyi.
Apodemia hepburni is sometimes confused (in collections) with A.
palmerii. Apodemia palmerii always has a prominent row of white
spots just proximal to the marginal black dots on both wings; these are
absent or represented at most by inconspicuous white points on A.
hepburni. The white marks of the submarginal series on the ventral
surface are usually conspicuously outlined with black on both sides on
late season A. hepburni; this black outline is usually absent distally on
spring A. hepburni and all A. palmerii (some A. palmerii may have a
darker shade here but never a well-defined line of black). Additionally,
the forewings of both sexes of A. hepburni are more produced apically
than those of A. palmerii. Apodemia h. remota likewise resembles A.
murphyi. The wing shape of the two is similarly produced. Apodemia
hepburni, however, has smaller dorsal spots, no reddish-brown basally
on the forewing (occasional female A. hepburni have a hint of this but
it is never prominent as on some A. murphyi), lacks the marginal white
spots, and has a very narrow white postmedian band on the ventral
hindwing (very broad and prominent onA. murphyi). These characters
are summarized in Table 1.
The malegenitaliaof the twosubspeciesofA. hepburni are identical;
they are also very similar to those of A. palmerii. The processes of the
Volume 45, Number 2 141
valvae diverge at a greater angle on A. hepburni than on A. palmerii
and the lower process is slightly shorter and twisted outward. The
vinculum ofA. hepburniappears more upright compared tothesloping
aspectofA. palmerii. The malegenitaliaofA. murphyi are more robust
than those of either A. hepburni or A. palmerii.
Acknowledgments
Ithank variouscuratorsandothersforloansofspecimens: L. D. andJ. Y. Miller(Allyn
Museum of Entomology), F. H. Rindge (American Museum of Natural History), D. K.
Faulkner(NaturalHistoryMuseum, SanDiego),J. P. Donahue(NaturalHistory Museum
of Los Angeles County), R. K. Robbins (National Museum of Natural History), J. E.
Rawlins (Carnegie Museum of Natural History), A. Powell (California Insect Survey),
and T. W. Davies (California Academy of SciencJe.s). I am grateful for specimen loans
and data from the private collections of J. Brock, G. S. Forbes, R. W. Holland, R. O.
Kendall, D. Mullins, and M. J. Smith. I also thank P. R. Ackery of the Natural History
Museum, London, for sending photographs of the type of A. hepburni. I thank Scott
Klette of the Nevada State Museum for the photographs in the text.
Literature Cited
Austin, G. T. 1987. Apodemia palmerii (Lycaenidae: Riodininae): Misapplication of
names, two new subspecies and a new allied species. Res. Lepid. 26:125-140.
J.
Godman, F. D. & O. Salvin. 1879-1901 [18861 Biologia Centrali-Americana. Lepi-
doptera: Rhopalocera. Vol. 1. London, xlv + 487 pp.
Hoffmann, C. C. 1976. Catalogo sistematico y zoogeografico de los lepidopteros mex-
icanos. Soc. Mex. Lepid., publ. esp. 1. 214 pp.
Holland, R. 1972. Butterflies of middle and southern Baja California. Res. Lepid.
J.
11:147-160.
Howe, W. H. 1975. The butterflies of North America. Doubleday, Garden City, New
York, xiii + 633 pp.
Langston, R. L. (coordinator). 1991. 1990 season summary. Southwest: Arizona, Cal-
ifornia, Nevada. News Lepid. Soc. 1991:16-19.
Miller,L. D. & F.M. Brown. 1981. Acatalogue/checklistofthebutterfliesofAmerica
north of Mexico. Lepid. Soc. Mem., No. 2. vii + 280 pp.
Rindge, F. H. 1948. Contributions toward a knowledge of the insect fauna of Lower
California. No. 8, Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 24:289-312.
Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America: A natural history and field guide.
Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, California, xiii + 583 pp.
Smithe, F. B. 1975. Naturalist's color guide. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York, New
York. 4 pp. + 8 color charts.
1981. Naturalist's color guide part III. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York, New
York. 37 pp. + 9 color charts.
Receivedfor publication 8 March 1990; revised and accepted 13 June 1991.